Gauging device



July 16, 1946.

W. F. ALLER ETAL GAUGING DEVICE 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed July 3,1942 July 16, 1946.

w. F. ALLER ETAL 2,403,898

GAUGING DEVICE 1 Original Filed July '3, 1942 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 3% MM JJuly 16, 1946. w. i: ALLER Em. 2,403,898

GAUGING DEVICE Original Filed Ju1y 3, 1942 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 July 16,1946. r w. F. ALLER EI'AL GAUGING DEVICE Original Filed July 3, 1942 6Sheets-Sheet 5 July 16, 1946. w. F. ALLER EI'QAL GAUGJL'NG DEVICEOriginal Filed July s,' 1942 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Patented July 16, 1946GAUGING DEVICE 'Willis Fay Aller and Louis Ohio, assignors to TheDayton,

J. Mahlmeister, Dayton,

Sheifield Corporation,

Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Original application July 3, 1942, SerialNo.

449,568. Divided and this application December 27, 1943, Serial No.515,694

6 Claims.

This invention relates to measuring or gauging apparatus for accuratelygauging sizes of a measured part, present application being a divisionof our U. S, application, Serial No. 449,568, filed July 3, 1942.

One object of the invention is the provision of a gauging apparatusadapted to simultaneously gauge or compare a large number of differentdimensions radially and axially of a workpiece, with the various workcontacting and gauging parts compactly arranged.

Another object is the provision of a gauging apparatus including a workholder, for positioning the work, and arranged for movement from a workreceiving to a work gauging position, there being provision to preventmovement of the work into such gauging position when the work is notproperly positioned on the holder, thus preventing injury to the workgauging fingers and the parts controlled thereby.

.Another object is the provision of a gauging apparatus including asupport on which a gauging device or devices are arranged, and a workholder for receiving the work and for moving the work into gaugingposition, the work holder being operable by a mechanism which inherentlyfunctions to gradually decelerate the motion of the work holder inmoving into gauging position so that the final movement of the workholder is accomplished without shock or jar.

Another object is the provision of a gauging apparatus of the characterjust mentioned in which the work holder is moved by a toggle linkagethat gradually decelerates the movement of the work holder, withcooperating stop means adjustable to accurately determine the finalposition of the work in gauging position.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description, the appended claimsand the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings, in which the same reference characters have beenapplied to like parts in the several views:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation, with some parts shown in vertical section,of a gauging apparatus embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in vertical section, on the line 2--2of Fig. l, of the gauging apparatus;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on the line 4 -4 of Fig. l;

. holder 2 Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a vertical section on the line 6--6 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a view corresponding to Fig. 6 but showing the springsupported carrier separated from the stationary block on the support;

Fig. 8 is a front elevation, partly in verticalsection, showing the workholder and the gauging devices carried thereby;

Fig. 9 is a central vertical section through the lower portion of aworkpiece, showing its cooperative association with a number of the workcontacting portions of the gauging apparatus; and

Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic showing of the connections to a commonindicating lamp.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, in WhlCh a preferred formof the invention has been shown as embodied in a gauging apparatus forsimultaneously gauging or comparing a large number of dimensions of ashell or other workpiece the gauging apparatus comprises a suitablesupport Ill which projects upwardly from a stationary base II. A numberof gauging devices are arranged on the support, as will be more fullydescribed, for cooperation with the workpiece when the latter is movedinto gauging position. It will be understood that the workpiece may takeany one of a large number of different shapes or forms, although theinvention as herein described and illustrated in a form particularlyadapted for gauging internal and external measurements of an elongatedwork-piece such as a shell. While the term shell will be used in thespecification to designate the workpiece, that term designates any otherworkpiece that may be gauged or measured.

The shell, designated l2, may be applied to 2. IS SO that the end of theshell rests on the plate portion l4 carried by a table l5 which ishorizontally slidable along tracks or ways l6. Suitable anti-frictionbearing members Tl, preferably ball bearings, are interposed between thetracks l6 and the table l5 so that the table is movable from a positionsomewhat remote from the support I 0, where the shell can be readilyapplied to the holder, into the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3, inwhich the shell is in position for cooperation with the gauging devicescarried by the support. The work holder can be moved towards the left asviewed in Fig. 2, to move the work away from the support, by pulling therod I 8 carried by a pair of levers l9 which are secured at their lowerends to a control shaft 2|, journalled in the side walls of the base.Fixed to the shaft 2| is a gear segment 22 which operates a gear 23carried by shaft M which is also jour nalled in the side walls of thebase II. The gear 23 is fixed to a link 25 of a toggle linkage includingan angular link 2%, pivotally interconnected to link 25 at 21. The otherend of the link 26 is pivoted at 28 to an ear 2% which is fixed to andprojects down from the table I5. When the work holder is arranged in itsoperative or gauging position as indicated in Fig. 2, the pivot connection 21 between links 25 and 26 is almost in alignment with the shaft24 and the pivot axis 28. By pulling the rod [8 towards the left asviewed in Fig. 2, the gear 23 is rotated clockwise, swinging the link 25clockwise about 180, and consequently pulling the table I out of itsgauging position and into the withdrawn position in which the shell canbe readily applied to or removed from the holder, The angular form ofthe link 26 is such that the three pivot points of the toggle linkagewill be substantially in alignment, when the table has been moved out,the recessed part of the link 26 then being close to or in contact withthe lower side of the shaft 24. With this arrangement it will be clearthat i the motion of the table i5 is gradually decelerated at both endsof its movements either towards or from the support it, the finalmovements of the table being very gradual, thus bringing the table to adetermined position without shock or jar to any of the parts. The finalposition to which the table is brought, near the support ill. isaccurately determined by an adjustable screw 3|, held in any adjustedposition by a lock nut 32 in the front wall of the base ii, contactingwith a stop surface 33 on the gear segment 22 to, stop the clockwisemovement of the levers I9 and stop the movement of the table 15 in theexact position desired, with the shell centered in position for properengagement with the gau ing devices on the support. The stop screw Si ispreferably so arranged that it contacts with the stop surface 33 justbefore the toggle linkage is fully straightened. A similar stop screw 34and lockjnut 35 is provided for engagement with a stop surface 35 on thegear segment 22 to limit the outer movement of the table 15 so that thelink 25 will not be brought forcibly against the shait 24.

The table 15 supports a plurality of gauging devices which gauge orcompare radial and ax ial dimensions of the shell. One of these gaugingdevices includes a gauge head 36 (see Figs. 1, 4 and 8) secured on thetable is and having a plunger or operating element. $59 which iscontrolled by motion transmitting mechanism in accordance with theposition of a work contacting finger 4! which is vertically'movable andengageable with an internal shoulder 42 of the shell l2. The finger i!is fixed to and projects upwardly from a block 33 which is supported byspring blades 6-; and 45 of equal length and arranged 90 to one another.The adjacent ends of these spring blades are fixed to a portion ii]forming part of or fixed to the table i5. The block 4.3, in effect, isthus pivoted for small movemerits about an axis which substantiallycorre sponds to the point of intersection of the spring bladesf'i l and45, Thus the vertical movements of the finger 4| are transformed intoequal horizontal movements of the portion or block :3 which contactswith the operating element 39 of the gauge head. Normally, before thework is applied, the finger 4! is held by the spring blades 44. and 3,5and by the operating element 39 slightly above the position to which thefinger is de-' pressed when the shell is applied to the plate Hi, andwhen the work is in position the spring blades i i and G5 are straightif the dimension gauged is of the required size. The gauge head 38 is ofa suitable character preferably like the gauge head illustrated inPatent No. 2,254,812 granted September 2, 1941, and is connectedelectrically in a manner similar to that disclosed in the mentionedpatent to suitable indicating means which enable the operator to seewhether or not the part gauged is of the required size.

Mounted on the table l5 by means of a pair of vertical parallel spacedspring blades 48 is a block 49 adapted for limited substantiallyhorizontal movement with respect to the table. An upward extension 50 ofthe table (see Fig. 1) is received in a recess slightly larger than theextension 5i; and provided in block 19 to limit the horizontal travel ofthe latter. The block 49 is fixed to and supports a gauging device 5!similar to the gauging device 38 in its internal construction. Itincorporates an operating element or plunger 52 (see Figs. 1 and 4)which is engaged and operated by a bar 53. The latter is mounted forlimited substantially horizontal movement on the table l5 by means of apair of spaced parallel spring blades 54. On this bar is fixed anupward- 1y extending arm 55 having a work contacting portion 58 which isengageable with the internal cylindrical surface adjacent the bottom ofthe shell as shown in Fig. 9. The arm 55 is thus carried forsubstantially horizontal yielding movement so as to position theoperating member 52 of the gauging device in accordance, with the sizeof the internal cylindrical surface adjacent the bottom of the shell.The gauging device Si is also yieldingly carried by its own supportingspring blades, and is fixed to a second arm 57 having a work contactingportion 58 arranged .diametrically opposite the arm 55 and thus adaptedto position the housing of the gauging device in a yielding manner, inaccordance with the diameter of the surface gauged. The two arms 55 and51 thus cooperate with the gauging .5 device to give an accuratemeasurement or comparison with a part of standard size, it beingunderstood that the gauging device is connected to and controls asuitable indicating mechanism in the same manner as described in PatentNo. 2,254,812 previously mentioned.

The plate M, which carries the shell, is provided with a plug 65 whichenters the passage in the lower end of the shell when the shell isappliedto the plate, if the passage is sufriciently large. The plug maybe formed as a part of the plate M, the latter having recesses 64arranged generally radially as shown in Fig. 5, to accommodate theupwardly extending arms 55 and 57 and the upwardly extending workcontacting finger ll. The upper portion of the plug 60 is of somewhatsmaller diameter than the lower portion and serves as a go plug forentering the cylindrical internal surface 63 of the shell, if thatsurface is of sufficient diameter. Below surface 63 the shell isprovided with internal threads 64, and the inside diameter of thethreads is gauged by the lower portion of the plug Ell, which is of sucha diameter that it will .enter, the. threaded portion of the, shell ifthe internal diameter of the threads is large enough. If either thesurface 53 of the shell or the internal diameter of the threads is toosmall, the shell will not pass over the plug 60 to rest on the plate Ml,and the shell will therefore, project up too high, and this will bedetermined, as will be presently described, by gauging means provided onthe support I after the work is moved to gauging position.

The plate I 4 is also provided with a plug-pore tion that enters thegroove 65 at the end of the shell, to determine whether or not theinternal diameter'of the outer surface forming this groove is largeenough. If this diameter is too small on the shell, the latter will notseat on the plate I4. The upper and lower go plug portions of thecentral plug and the upwardly extending go plug at the periphery of theplate I4 thus check three internal diameters to determine if they arelarge enough. At the same time a diametrical measurement or comparisonand an axial measurement or comparison is provided for by means of thegauging devices 38 and If the work is properly positioned on the plateIt, that is if the plug portions fully enter the shell, the measurementsor indications on the indicating means will show whether or not thegauged por' tions of the work are of desired size and whether or nottheir dimension is too large or too small, as soon as the work ispositioned on the holder and even before it is moved into gaugingposition for cooperation with additional gauging'devices on the support.

When the shell is moved, by moving the holder back towards the support I0, to its gauging position, the shell is carried past a stop arm 68,fixed on the support I0 and arranged to enter and pass through thegroove 67 of the shell if the shell is properly seated on the plate I4.This arm 58, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5, is adjustably fixed on thesupport by means of a slotted opening 69 in the arm and a bolt 7| whichpasses through the slot and which is threaded in the support Ill, topermit vertical adjustment of the arm. The arm extends downwardly andthen projects out towards the front of the apparatus, as shown in Fig.5, its projecting end having the stop surface 72 which is narrow enoughin a vertical direction so that the groove 67 in the shell can receivethe stop surface without contacting with it, as the shell is moved intogauging position, illustrated in Fig. 5. However if the shell is notproperly seated on the upper surface of the plate l4 because one of thesurfaces gauged by one of the plug portions is too small in diameter,then the wider portion of the shell below the groove 61 will contactwith shell from being moved into gauging position.

The support I0 carries a gauging device 74 having an operating element75 which bears against a lever 76 pivotally carried at 77 on astationary block 78 fixed to the support, shown in Fig. 2. An adjustablestop screw 79 threaded in a downwardly extending leg 8| of the arm 76limits the counter-clockwise movement of the arm, which is normallyurged in this counterclockwise direction in a yielding manner by theinternal mechanism of the gauging head. The lower side of the outer endof the arm 76 provides a cam surface 82 which is engaged by the upperend of the shell when the shell is moved to gauging position. The upperend of the shell thus rides along the cam surface 82 and forces thelever 76 upwardly, or clockwise, to a degree determined by the totalheight of the shell, and if the shell is of the desired height, theindications produced by the gauging head 74 will so indicate, or willindicate whether or not the height is too much or too little. If theplug portions at the lower end of the shell when the latter is appliedtothe plate I4 do not permit the shell to seat the stop 72, thuspreventing the sition, and give an indication that the height of.

the shell is excessive.

When the shell is moved into gauging position,

the operator holds the shell down on the plate I4, keeping itsubstantially upright, and the final position of this shell so far asits vertical attitude is concerned, is determined by a stop arm 83 whichprojects out from the support I0 into a position where it engages therear of the shell between its upper and lower ends.

When the work holder is moved to gauging position, together with theshell properly in place, the external diameter of the shell just abovethe groove 61 is determined by work engaging fingers 85 and 86, whichcontrol a gauging device 87 mounted on the support I0. This gaugingdevice 87 and the arm which carries the work contacting portion 85 ismounted as a unit for limited horizontal movement towards the right andleft as viewed in Fig. 1 by means of a pair of horizontally extendingparallel spring blades 89 connected thereto and connected to the supportI0. The work contacting portion 83 is mounted on a second arm 9| whichbears against the operating element of the gauge head 87, this portion86 being supported by a pair of parallel spring blades connected theretoand connected to the arm 90 and providing for yielding limited movementin a horizontal direction. An accurate indication is thus obtained onthe gauging device even if the work is not exactly centered with respectto the table. The manner in which the arms 90 and 9| are supported fromth support I9 is generally similar to the arrangement described inPatent No. 2,254,812 before mentioned. r The external diameter at thelower end of the shell is gauged or compared by means of work contactingelements 93 and 94 which control the indications of the gauging device95. The operating element 96 of this gauging device bears against ablock 97 carried by spring which mount the block 91 for limitedhorizontal movement. This block carries the work engaging portion 94.The bar 99 carries the work engaging portion 93 which engages theopposite side of the work at a point diametrically opposite to portion94. The bar 99 is carried by a pair of parallel spring blades IOI sothat the gauge head is supported for yielding movement, to a limitedextent, in a, horizontal direction.

The diameter of the groove 61 (see Figs. 3 and 9) is measured orcompared by a pair of work contacting members I03 and I04 which bear, attheir inner ends, against the cylindrical surface forming the inside ofthe groove. The diameter of this cylindrical surface thus controls theradial relative spacing of these members I03 and I04. Member I04 iscarried by the bar I05 which also forms a support for the gauging deviceI06. The latter is provided with an operating member I07 controlled by ablock I08 which carries the work contacting member I03. Block I08 ismounted by a pair of parallel spring blades I09 on the bar I05. The barI05 is carried by a pair of parallel spring blades I In which projecttoward the support I0 and which mount the bar I 05 and the gaugingdevice I06 for limited horizontal movement towards the right and left asviewed in Fig. 3. The rear ends of the spring blades I I0 are secured toa carrier H2. As will now be understood, the gauging device blades 98which are fixed at one end and to the bar 99 and I06 properly in-'dicates or compares the diameter of the external cylindrical surface atthe groove 61 regardlessof anyslight mis-positioning of the axis of theshell with respect to its intended centered position on the "plate I4.

The work engaging portions m3 and Hi l. are notonly mounted formovement-in a horizontal plane for gauging a diametrical measurement ofthe shell, but are also adaptedfor vertical movement to gauge or comparean axial dimension of the shell at the same time. .As will be apparentfrom Fig. 9, the lower-surfaces of these work engaging portions I03 andH34 engage the lower side of the groove 61. To accommodatethis up anddown movement of these work engaging. portions, the entire bar I35, andthe gauging device- Illfi as .well are mounted for yielding verticalmovement by means of another set of parallel spring blades H4 and IE5(see Figs. 3, 6 and '7). At one end, these spring blades H4 and securedto a stationary supporting block IE5 on thesupport IE, andat their outerends they are secured to the carrier I E2 to mount the carrier forvertical limited movement. This carrier in turn supports the bar Hi5 bymeans of the spring. blades II!) as previously described. The carrierI.I2 comprises a bar portion Il'l having integral outwardly extendinglugs H8 to which the ends oi the springs i M and H5 are secured, theselugs II8 overhanging the upper and lower portions of the bar H15 asshown in Figs. 6 and '7 so that thebar I65 is mounted for both verticaland horizontalyielding movement, each movement in one direction. beingwithout effect so far as movement in the other direction is concerned.

The up and down movement of the bar M25 is transferredto a gauge head.M2, by means of the operating member lZl of the gauge .head, thisoperating, member extending with suitable clearance through a holeprovided in, the arm 9i! and engaging, a flat surface I23 on the armI115. The operating. member .i2i of this gauging device. thus yieldinglymaintains itself. in contact with the surface !23, and as the arm m5 ismoved upwardly, by the work, when the work is brought into engagementwith the groove engaging portions, the indicator of the gauging deviceI29 shows whether or not the horizontally extending surface of thegroove, at the lower portion of the groove, is the proper distance fromthe bottom of, the shell. The horizontal movement of the arm 135 and thegauging device I88 which it carries is without effect on the gaugingdevice I26 and, similarly, the up and down movement of the arm I65,which operates the gauging deviceIZEi, is without effect on theindications produced by the gauging device 106.

The weight of the. gauging device ltd, the armifiE, and the otherassociated parts mounted on the members mentioned is counterbalanced bya spring counterbalance structure generally designated 25. Thiscounterbalance comprises a spring I26 held in a casing I21 which isfixed to the support HS, the upper end of the spring bearing'against aplunger I28 which bears against the lower side of the carrier H2 withsuificient force to yieldingly hold the carrier H2 approximately in itsnormal position so as to relieve the bending strain that would otherwisebe applied to the spring blades. MS. The normal position of the carrierH2, before the work is brought into engagement With the work contactingportions Hi3 and IM, is. just slightlybelow the position the carrier ismoved to if the work is of a desired II5 are size so far as the locationof the lower side of the groove 61 is concerned.

As previously indicated, the several gauging heads control electriccircuits, each gauging head having an indicating light so that theoperator can determine whether any particular gauging head is properlyindicating a desired dimension or whether the dimension gauged orcompared is oversize or undersize, in the same manner as in the PatentNo. 2,254,812, and if all the dimensions checked conform to a desiredsize standard or predetermined tolerance or tolerances, an indicatorlight I30 mounted on the support Ill shows the operator that alldimensions checked conform to the desired sizes. If the indicator I30does not show all dimensions to be proper, the operator can then referto the individual indicating lamps associated with the individual gaugeheads, to see which measurements depart from a desired size, and whetherthe work gauged thereby is too large or too small.

Fig. 10 illustrates diagrammatically how the several gauging heads maybe electrically connected to the common indicating lamp I30. Theswitches which are controlled by the gauging head 38 are shown at I32and I33, each cooperating with individual indicating lamps I34 and 535respectively. The arrangement is such that when both lamps I34 and I35are electrically connected from the common wire I36 to the supply sourceI31, both of these lamps will be energized indicating a normal oracceptable size condition. If only one of these lamps is energized, theswitch for the deenergized lamp will electrically connect the sourcelead I31 to a common return line I38 leading to the lamp I30. Theswitches controlled by the gauging head 8'! are indicated at I39 and,M0, and additional switches, one for each of the additional heads of thegauging device, are similarly connected at the locations MI, The variousswitches for the difi'erent gauging heads are similarly connected,

. and when any switch is open in a gauging operation, the lamp I39 willbe energized because of the parallel connections to that lamp.

While some of the dimensions are gauged or compared with a part of thedesired dimensions as soon as the work is applied to the holder, andbefore the holder is moved into gauging position, the preferred mannerof gauging or comparing a, shell is for the operator to apply the shellon the holder, then swing the bar I8 upwardly to bring the holder andthe shell into gauging position as exactly predetermined by previouslysetting the stop 3I' which limits the travel. of the gear segment 22'.As the operator moves the bar upwardly, he holds the upper portion ofthe shell so that it is moved back and maintains asubstantially verticalattitude on the holder. After bringing the holder back into gaugingposition, the operator then merely needs to look at the indicator lightI30 which is conveniently positioned adjacent the work itself, to seewhether that light indicates that all sizes checked conform to a desiredsize standard. If so he knows the work is properly made and that theshell conforms to the desired size standard at all the gauged or checkedportions. If the, indicator light I 39 does not show all sizes to beproper, the operator can then refer to the individual indicating lights,individual to the several gauging devices, to see which measurementgauged departs from a desired size standard .or ifflseveral dimensionsdo not conform to the desired size standard he can determine which onesare incorrect. It will be quite apparent, in view of the precedingdiscussion, that a large number of different measurements in both axialand diametrical directions can be obtained in one operation, and thatthe successive gauging of successive shells can be very expeditiouslyaccomplished.

While the form of apparatus herein described constitutes a preferredembodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the inventionis not limited to this precise form of apparatus, and that changes maybe made therein without departing from the scope of the inven-, tionwhich is defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Gauging apparatus comprising a support, a work holder movably carriedby said support for operation to and from loading and work gaugingpositions, means for operating said work holder, gauging means carriedby said support and including a gauging element adapted to be receivedin a groove of the work, and stop means adjacent said element and.adapted to enter and be by-passed by such groove if the work is properlymounted on the work holder and blocking the work from gauging positionif the work is above a normal position on the work holder.

2. Gauging apparatus comprising a support, a work holder movably carriedby said support for operation to and from loading and work gaugingpositions, gauging means carried by said support and including workcontacting portions with which the work is moved into engagement, a handoperated member, and means including toggle arms operated by said handoperated member into approximately aligned position. to move the workholder into work gauging position.

3. Gauging apparatus comprising a support, a work holder movably carriedby said support for operation to and from loading and work gaugingpositions, gauging means carried by said support and including workcontacting portions with which the work is moved into engagement, a handoperated member, and means including toggle arms operated by said handoperated member into approximately aligned position to move the workholder into work gauging position, and adjustable means for determiningthe relative position of said arms to locate the holder accurately inwork gauging position.

4. Gauging apparatus comprising a support.

a work holder on said support and incorporating a plug portioninsertable into the work and a plate portion carrying the work, leverand link mechanism for moving the holder to gauging position, a, workcontacting finger engageable with an internal surface of the work,gauging means carried by the work holder and operated by said finger,gauging means on said support and engaging the work when moved togauging position, and stop means fixed on said support adapted to enterand be by-passed by a groove in the work if the work is properly mountedon the plate portion and blocking the work from gauging position if thework is above a normal position on the work holder.

5. Gauging apparatus comprising a support, a work holder movably carriedon said support for movement into and out of gauging position. said Workholder comprising a plate portion for carrying the work and a plugportion insertable into the work, a work contacting finger engageablewith an internal surface of the work, gauging means carried by the workholder and operated by said finger, means for moving the work holderinto and out of gauging position, means carried by said support forgauging an outer surface on the work when the work holder is in gaugingposition, and a stop member carried by said support and normallyreceivable in a groove in the work when the work is properly entered bysaid plug portion and adapted to block the work from movement intogauging position if the work is held up by said plug portion.

6. Gauging apparatus comprising a support, a work holder operablycarried by said support for moving into and out of gauging position,mechanism for moving said holder, gauging devices on said support andoperated by a workpiece on said holder when the holder is moved intogauging position, a work contacting gauging device movably carried bythe holder and operated by the workpiece when applied thereto,positioning means to locate the work holder accurately in work gaugingposition, and a common indicator means on said support controlled by allsaid gauging devices to show when all said gauging devices arepositioned in accordance with predetermined sizes of different parts ofthe workpiece.

WILLIS FAY ALLER. LOUIS J. MAHLMEISTER.

